not-at-all-trivial trivia 2013

probably this is not obscure trivia, but i didn't realize until this morning that in 1981 the Reds and Cardinals had the best two records in the National League, and neither team made the playoffs.

Not only that, but the NL team with the 3rd best record (Los Dodgers) won the World Series, with a killer team:

Opening Day Lineup

Davey Lopes Second baseman
Ken Landreaux Center fielder
Dusty Baker Left fielder
Steve Garvey First baseman
Ron Cey Third baseman
Pedro Guerrero Right fielder
Mike Scioscia Catcher
Bill Russell Shortstop
Fernando Valenzuela Starting pitcher

most of the lower minor leagues play half-seasons like this, which sort of makes sense because there's so much roster turnover but also makes no sense at all because any decent players from the first-half champs will have been promoted and minor league playoffs are entirely pointless anyway

Yup, minor league allstars are the kings of cockblock.

I don't agree that they're pointless. Obviously, a team can be upended at any time by call-ups, but it's otherwise like any other competitive team sport - you try to win, try to beat your rivals, etc. I don't believe it's pointless to the players or to the fans of teams.

Due to a strike in mid-season, the season was divided into a first half and a second half. The division winner of the first half (denoted E1, W1) played the division winner of the second half (denoted E2, W2).

wow, I never knew about this! crazy

The Reds/Cardinals story was one of the many subplots in the split-season book I just finished. I knew about that, but what I'd forgotten was that baseball had boxed itself into a situation where, for the first time ever, it was theoretically possible that certain teams might benefit towards the end by throwing a game--either in picking their opponent for the extra playoff round, or even in determining whether or not they made the playoffs. Herzog and LaRussa were both asked by reporters if they would intentionally lose game if doing so would ensure a playoff spot, and both, without hesitation, said they would. Which of course sent Bowie Kuhn around the bend.

They scrambled around and came up with some fix that sort of worked.

I don't agree that they're pointless. Obviously, a team can be upended at any time by call-ups, but it's otherwise like any other competitive team sport - you try to win, try to beat your rivals, etc. I don't believe it's pointless to the players or to the fans of teams.

when MLB rosters expand on sept 1, most teams (well, not the mets or white sox or blue jays) call up their best triple-a and double-a players. so everyone else slides up a level to fill the vacuum, and suddenly you have minor league playoff teams whose rosters barely resemble what they were two weeks previously, let alone months earlier.

not to mention the things like josh donaldson 'rehabbing' for double-a akron in their playoffs, and the fact that school's back in and no one comes to the games -- triple-a columbus has actually let people in free for playoff games the last few years just so they might buy food.

winning is better and more fun than losing, sure, and players are obviously competitive. but team records and titles in the minors have no correlation to major league success. the point of playing in the minors is not to help the class a team win, it's to move up and help the big league team win get fucking paid

Your argument was that they are "entirely pointless," though, and I think they're clearly not, nor should they be. I understand that AAA playoff rosters can be affected even more by call-ups than a team normally is. But is there not a core of a team that generally remains? In any case, I am sure there's fun in the competition regardless and I am sure that the players enjoy that aspect of it, as do fans. There seems to be an element to your argument that minor league baseball in general is irrelevant, that the games are not "the point" of the whole enterprise, but I see no reason to put that negative slant on the whole thing and if I lived in a town with a minor league team it would be a lot more fun to root for them than not to bother.

Actually, I do live in a town with a minor league (AHL) hockey team. Players get called up and it affects things. There are pretty big rivalries between some of the teams in their division.

There seems to be an element to your argument that minor league baseball in general is irrelevant

feeling very seen lol

if fans derive pleasure from their local minor league teams winning, then that is wonderful; perhaps i am too cynical

Actually, I do live in a town with a minor league (AHL) hockey team.

The Gulls??!?!?!?! I recall sitting in the stands next to Kim Alexis, who at my 17 year old self, had never seen such a beautiful woman in such close proximity. She was very kind to us nerds!

Yes! Their biggest rival is Ontario.

By bWAR, Paul Goldschmidt has been seven times as valuable as any other #246 draft pick in baseball history. Oh, hang on. My mistake. He has been seven times as valuable as EVERY other #246 draft pick in baseball history, COMBINED. https://t.co/5vwR9t7ikt

— AZ SnakePit (@AZSnakepit) January 2, 2019

I remember we talked a bit about that two years ago, and karl malone linked to this SI piece:

http://www.si.com/mlb/strike-zone/2014/06/09/mike-piazza-keith-hernandez-albert-pujols-late-round-draft-picks

Goldschmidt's "DROP," by the way, has moved to 1964.9, which would put him 5th on the SI list, just shy of Kenny Rogers at 4th. If he puts up 4.0 WAR this year, he'd move up to 3rd. Catching Pizza for first (another 35 WAR) highly unlikely.